


Performance of a Lifetime

by DJRezYourGays



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F, I'm gonna need to do post-series make-up fic after this to atone, Rejection, Shoutout to everyone else who had a conversation like this as a bby gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 08:57:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12837747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DJRezYourGays/pseuds/DJRezYourGays
Summary: After her best show yet, Chariot celebrates backstage with the girl who helped make it all possible, not knowing just how her friend really sees her.MicroWriMo 2017Prompt: Friend





	Performance of a Lifetime

"Thank you!!" Chariot called one last time to the crowd as she ducked backstage, glistening from the exhausting performance.  The roar of the crowd could still be heard even as the door to her dressing room shut behind her.

"Quite a performance," Croix said from a corner of the room, quietly eyeing the Claiomh Solais over her glasses.  The artifact sat forgotten as Chariot tended to her mass of tangled red hair.  "I think that might actually be your best one yet."

"You really think so?" Chariot asked excitedly, tossing her hat aside and twirling in the small space.  The hat floated down and came to rest atop the rod, hiding it from view.  Croix sighed, finding the display a bit too metaphorical for her tastes.  "Did you see all those smiling faces?" Chariot squealed, grabbing Croix by the shoulders and drawing the girl's attention away from the rod and the equally forgotten search for the Seventh Word.

"Y-yes," Croix stammered, only now noticing just how revealing Chariot's performance costume truly was.  "Plenty of energy for the Dream Fuel Spirit tonight."

"Turning dreams into magic!" Chariot cheered, letting go and spinning in a circle with her arms wide.  "What a beautiful gift! You really did it, Croix."  Chariot clapped her hands together as she came to a stop.  Croix spotted the shimmer of happy tears in the girl's eyes and found herself giggling in spite of herself.  "You made all this possible."

Noting an odd feeling swelling in her chest and threatening to leap out her mouth, Croix cleared her throat instead, looking down and taking a moment to adjust her glasses.  "You're the star," she said quietly, still trying to chase the silly smile off her face without much luck.  "I'm just helping you do what you do best."

Chariot laughed and took a seat at the mirror, staring at her happy reflection.  She tucked a few stray strands of red hair away only to watch them immediately spring back to where they'd been, pointing out at odd angles.  She frowned and grabbed her brush, determined not to let anything spoil her good mood.  "Do you think what we're doing is really helping?" she asked Croix, watching the girl's studious expression in the mirror.  "Are we really making magic stronger than ever?"

"Of course," Croix said, wincing as she watched Chariot attack her tangles with as much artful care as she brought to her magic.  With a sigh, Croix got to her feet.  "Give me that," she said, walking over and taking the brush from Chariot with some effort, taking over tending the girl's hair with a more gentle hand.  The girl's hair was a mess as always, yet just as striking and pretty as always in spite of its best efforts.  Again, Croix found herself awash in metaphor, but she tried to keep her thoughts from showing on her face.

Chariot slumped in her seat as she watched Croix yet again make something she found challenging look effortless.  Still, the smooth strokes were calming, and it wasn't long before a tiny smile returned to her face as she regarded her friend in the mirror.  "What would I do without you?" she said with a sigh, closing her eyes and leaning into Croix's touch.  

Croix felt her face flush.  She was suddenly keenly aware of the heat on Chariot's skin.  Leftover adrenaline from the performance, she told herself, clearing her throat and resuming brushing before her friend might start to suspect.  "It's the Claiomh Solais, really," she said.  "I barely did anything."

Chariot opened her eyes, moving her hat out of the way to reveal the shiny rod.  The gems gleamed on their own, reminding her of the quest she'd been charged with.  "I'm the one who hasn't done anything," she said, resigned.  "Without you and the Dream Fuel Spirit, I'd just be putting on a show with bright lights and fake monsters.  That's not going to change the world."  She looked down at her hands in her lap, curling her fingers into quaking fists.  "I really am useless with magic after all."

"That's not true!"

They were both startled by the strength of Croix's objection, Croix most of all.  Every logical part of her agreed with Chariot, but something stronger within her had roared to the front.  Now she was left with a pair of surprised looks in the mirror both waiting for her to explain.  For a moment she considered running, but with one hand still woven into the girl's hair, there was little hope of a clean getaway.

"What I mean is," she stammered, hoping to buy time while she thought of an answer that didn't include the truth of how she felt.  That Chariot had the obnoxious talent of making her feel hopeful just by being in the room.  How with just a smile she could make Croix believe in impossible things beyond even the reach of magic.  How the only scent Croix loved more than old books was that of Chariot's red hair after a show.  

With the heat rapidly returning to her face, Croix looked down and focused on finishing brushing out the tangles.  "You're making people believe," Croix said.  "Any witch can do magic, but you can make people believe in its power.  You make them believe magic make all their dreams come true.  That takes more than the Clai-- than the shiny rod," she added, straining a bit as she regarded the artifact that now served as little more than a stage prop.  "It takes, well...it takes you."

In the mirror, Croix saw fresh tears forming in Chariot's eyes.  She cleared her throat and set the brush aside hurriedly, starting back to her seat in the corner when Chariot caught her by the hand, halting her escape.  Croix could hear her heart pounding in her ears as Chariot gave her hand a squeeze.  She couldn't bring herself to turn around, worried she wouldn't be able to hide how she felt from Chariot's tearful, pleading eyes.  

"Croix..." The quiver in Chariot's voice made Croix's head spin with possibilities.  "You're the best friend I could have ever hoped for."

The word sank like a weight through the center of her.  Croix fought to keep her knees steady underneath her, pulling her hand away from Chariot's and turning about with an easy smile.  "You should really get ready for your encore," she said abruptly, heading for the door.  "Mustn't keep your audience waiting."

She shut the door behind her, cutting off Chariot's half-uttered question and stealing a moment to collect herself.  She stomped her foot and shut her eyes tight against the tears, irritated at her own naiveté.  Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and hurried down the hall before Chariot might think to pursue. 

For an instant, she debated wandering out to join the crowd before her friend took the stage for her closing number.  Perhaps then the Dream Fuel Spirit might take her own dream away so its broken edges couldn't hurt her any more.  Instead, Croix listened to the muffled cheers from the safety of the backstage area, where no one was around to see her heart breaking in two.


End file.
